Ben Ainslie and Lucy MacGregor retain the number one positions for Great Britain in the ISAF World Rankings but there are plenty of changes below them as the 2011 season continues.

Ainslie retains the number one position on the ISAF World Match Race Rankings but his hold on the top is diminishing as the 2011 World Match Racing Tour gains pace.

With three World Match Racing Tour events counting to this release and a different team winning each of them there are plenty of changes. Moving up ten places to a career best of number two is Francesco Bruni (ITA) who has had an exceptional run of form, topping the podium at Match Race Germany before finishing second at both the Korea Match Cup and Portimao Match Cup.

A win in Portugal keeps Ian Williams (GBR) at the number three position whilst Mathieu Richard (FRA) and Torvar Mirsky (AUS) stay at number four and number five respectively.

Phil Robertson (NZL) continues his steady rise to a career best of number eight, counting valuable points from his first podium finish at a Tour event at Match Race Germany.

Andrew Arbuzov (RUS) joins the top number 25 for the first time, climbing eight places to number 23. Arbuzov won both the Grade 3 qualifier and the Grade 1 Sail of the White Nights in St Petersburg.

With three ISAF Nations Cup Regional Finals taking place since the last ranking release there are some movements lower down the rankings. The winner of the European event Stratis Andreadis (GRE) moves up 15 places to number 41. Pakistan’s Rauf Zahid claimed the Asian event and now sits at number 165 whilst Peter Wickwire (CAN) won the North American event and is now ranked at number 74.

Women’s RankingsLucy MacGregor (GBR) stays at number one in the Women’s Rankings but with three ISAF Grade 1 regattas counting to this release it’s all change through the rest of the top ten. Nicky Souter (AUS) moves up three places to number two ahead of Renee Groeneveld (NED) at number three. Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) moves back up to number four while Ekaterina Skudina (RUS) completes the top five.

Skudina’s move to a lifetime best ranking of number five is due to her gold medal at Kieler Woche and the silver medal at the European Championship in Helsinki, Finland. The new European champion who defeated Skudina in the final is Tamara Echegoyen (ESP) who moves up three places to a career best at number 10.

Olivia Price (AUS), previously crew to Nicky Souter, continues her march up the rankings to sit at number 25 in this release. Only counting five regatta scores her successes have been remarkable and rewarded by Yachting Australia with a place at the Weymouth and Portland International Regatta.

Katarzyna Pic (POL) climbs 50 places to enters the top 50 for the first time at number 43 after a string of podium finishes at the Open Spring Cup and Polish Open events in Zlota Gora. China’s Ru Wang gave the more experienced teams a run for their money at the Delta Lloyd Regatta, just missing out on a medal. She now counts six regatta scores and continues her climb up the rankings by 32 places to sit at number 45.